the bobbsey twins at school(读书的鲍勃西双胞胎)-第25部分
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come in from the fields where he may have been staying ever since the
railroad wreck。〃
〃Let's ask；〃 cried Freddie； always ready for action。
It was Saturday； and there was no school。 Bert had gone off coasting
on his new bob； but Nan did not want to go； her mother having asked her
to stay and help with the dusting。 But now the little bit of housework
was over； and Nan was free。
〃We'll go down to papa's office；〃 she said to Flossie and Freddie； 〃and
ask him if we can go to the railroad。 I know one of the ticket agents
and he can tell us of whom to ask about our cat。〃
Mrs。 Bobbsey had no objections； and soon； with F1ossie and Freddie
at her side； Nan set off for her father's office in the lumber yard。 The
smaller twins were delighted。
〃And maybe we can find our silver cup； too；〃 suggested Freddie； as
they trudged along in the snow； now and then stopping to make a white
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ball； which he threw at the fence or telegraph pole。
〃The fat lady has our cup … I'm sure of that；〃 said Flossie。
〃Well； we can ask papa if he has heard from the circus people；〃
suggested Nan。
Mr。 Bobbsey was rather surprised to see his three children come into
the office； but he was glad to meet them； for it made a break in his day's
work。 After a little thought he said they might go to the railroad office
to inquire about Snoop。 Nan and her brother and sister went in a trolley
car； and were soon at the depot。
But to their disappointment there was no news of Snoop。 The fat；
black cat seemed to have completely disappeared。
〃I've had the switchmen and trackmen keep a lookout for some time
past；〃 the agent told Nan； for Mr。 Bobbsey did a large business in
shipping lumber over the railroad； and many of the men were his friends。
〃One of the switchmen near where the wreck was； caught a lot of cats；
that must have been living out in the fields all Summer；〃 went on the
agent； 〃but they were all sorts of colors。 None was pure black； so I knew
they could not be yours。 I'm sorry。〃
〃Yes； so are we；〃 replied Nan。 〃Well； I guess Snoop is lost for good。
He has been away a long time now。〃
On the way back to Mr。 Bobbsey's office； the trolley car got off the
track； on account of so much snow on the rails； and the children spent
some time watching the men get it back； the electricity from the wire
and rails making pretty flashes of blue fire。
〃What luck？〃 asked Mr。 Bobbsey； as the three came in his private
office； their faces shining and red with the glow of winter。
〃None；〃 said Nan sadly。 〃Snoop is gone。〃
〃Have you heard from the circus fat lady yet； papa？〃 asked Flossie。
〃Yes； we want our cup back；〃 added her brother。
〃No word yet；〃 answered Mr。 Bobbsey。 〃That circus is traveling all
over Cuba； and the letters I sent never seem to catch up to them。
However； I am sending one on ahead now； to a city where they will soon
give a show。 The fat lady will find it there waiting for her； and she may
answer then。〃
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And with this the children had to be content。 Getting back home；
Flossie and Freddie took out their sleds and went for a coast on a small
hill； not far from their home。 This was where the smaller children had
their fun； leaving the larger hill for the bigger girls and boys。
〃Well； after this I think we all need something to cheer us up；〃 said
Papa Bobbsey； who came home from the office early that day。
〃Oh； have you got something good？〃 asked Nan； for she saw a queer
little twinkle in her father's eyes； and she knew that this generally meant
a treat of some kind。
〃I have some good news； if you would like to hear it；〃 he said； as he
drew a letter from his pocket。
〃Is it to tell that some of our friends are coming to see us？〃 asked
Bert。
〃Well； yes； I think you will call it a visit from a friend … at least part
of it；〃 said Papa Bobbsey。 〃Now listen。 This is a letter from the fat
lady in the circus。〃
〃What！〃 cried Flossie …the one who has our cup？〃
〃The same；〃 said Mr。 Bobbsey with a smile。 And she has more than
your cup。 Listen；〃 and he read the letter。
It was too long to put it all in here； but it went on to say how the fat
lady really had the valuable silver cup belonging to the twins。
〃They loaned it to me to drink from；〃 she wrote； 〃and when the train
stopped so suddenly； there was so much confusion that I put it in my
valise by mistake。 I have had it ever since and have been wondering how
I could send it back to you。 The circus went to Cuba soon after that；
and has been traveling around that island ever since。 I have only just
received your last letter asking me about the cup； or I would have
answered before。 If you will send me directions how to ship the cup to
you I shall be very glad to return it。〃
〃Oh goodie！〃 cried Freddie。 〃We'll have our nice cup again！〃
〃Is that all in the letter； papa；？〃 asked Flossie。
〃No； not quite；〃 he said。 〃I'll read a little more；〃 and be read：
〃When our circus was wrecked we lost a valuable trick dog。 He
could play soldier； say his prayers； turn somersaults； and do a number of
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tricks。 The ringmaster feels very badly about losing him； and has tried
to locate him； but without success。 If you should hear of anyone near
you having such a dog we would be much obliged if you would send him
to us as he belongs to the circus。〃
There was a moment of silence after Mr。 Bobbsey read this； and then
Freddie said：
〃Why that must be Snap … our pet dog！ Oh； papa you won't give him
back to the circus； will you？〃
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
CHAPTER XXII SNAP AND
SNOOP
ALL of the Bobbsey twins … Nan； Bert； Flossie and Freddie … looked so
serious over the prospect of losing Snap that Mr。 Bobbsey had to laugh。
He just couldn't help it。
〃Well； I don't see anything to make fun over；〃 said Nan； with a little
pout。
〃Why； you all act as though you had lost your best friend … or were
going to。〃
〃Well； Snap is one of our best friends； aren't you Snap？〃 said Freddie。
〃Still； if he belongs to the circus I don't see but what I'll have to send
him back；〃 went on Mr。 Bobbsey； slowly。
At this Flossie burst into tears； and Mrs。 Bobbsey； putting her arms
about the little girl； said to her husband：
〃Are you in earnest Richard？ Don't tease the child。〃
〃I'm not； Mary。 The fat lady wrote just that。 I believe the dog we
have does belong to the circus。〃
〃Then we'll have to give him up I suppose；〃 and Mrs。 Bobbsey sighed；
for she had grown very much attached to the fine animal。
〃Well； we won't have to send him back right away；〃 said Mr。 Bobbsey。
〃I will have to get more particulars。 But I did not finish the fat lady's
letter。〃
〃What！ Is there more news in it？〃 asked Nan。
〃Listen；〃 said Mr。 Bobbsey； as he went on reading：
〃We are sorry about losing our trick dog；〃 the fat lady wrote； 〃but I
picked up a big black cat when I walked out of the train。 I brought him
to Cuba with me； and I am teaching him tricks。 He may be as valuable as
our dog was。〃
〃A black cat！〃 cried Nan。
〃It's our Snoop！〃 shouted Freddie； 〃yes； that's it！ The fat lady has
our cat as well as our cup。 Oh； papa； make her give back our Snoop！〃
Mr。 Bobbsey laughed。
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〃You see how it is；〃 he said。 〃She has our cat； and we have their dog。
We'll have to give up our dog to get our cat。〃
The Bobbsey twins had not thought of this before。 They looked
strangely at one another。
〃Papa！〃 cried Freddie； jumping up and down in his excitement； 〃can't
we keep both … the circus dog and our cat？ Oh； do please； let us。〃
〃But maybe Snap would fight Snoop；〃 said Flossie。 〃We wouldn't
want that。〃
Freddie thought for a moment。
〃I don't believe he would；〃 he said at last。
〃Well；〃 said Papa Bobbsey； after a bit； 〃I'11 see what I can do。 I'll
write to the fat lady； telling her how to ship your silver cup； and also
how to send Snoop。 A
